Friday, June 26, 2009

South African Crunchies

Background: After last week's nut tart disaster, I decided I needed to make something within my skill range. Every South African grew up eating "crunchies". These cookies (biscuits we called them back in the old country) were a staple at tea time. Their oaty goodness makes them seem almost healthy. Best of all they are really easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour.

1 cup oats (not quick cook).

1 cup sugar

1 cup ground coconut

125g butter

1 TB golden syrup (Lyles)

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Directions:I, of course, bought quick cook oats, these are finely cut and absorb more of the liquid and make the crunchies a bit too crumbly. They were still good. The syrup must be golden syrup, we get Lyles here in Israel - this is not maple syrup, O.K.

First mix the flour, oats, sugar, coconut together in a big bowl. Melt the butter, syrup and bicarb.in a small pan and add this to the flour mixture. And mix together well.The mixture is rather crumbly, so flatten it out onto a baking paper lined baking pan, pressing it down very well. The pressing down is key. Don't be shy:Now bake in a 150 degree C oven for 30 minutes. This stuff wants to burn so you need to watch it and take it out as soon as you see it starting to look charred around the edges.

Cut squares into the still hot pan. It doesn't cut well when it cools, so do this as soon as you take it out of the oven. Careful with those hands though (I talk from experience). Remove the individual cookies from the pan once it has cooled.See that was not at all hard and they taste great.